Links to the Present: Unveiling Edition
2014-09-17
Yesterday, LeBron James released his new signature shoe at the Nike Headquarters. This is the twelve shoe to earn his approval, and the King is very happy with it.
“I would like this shoe,” [LeBron] joked. “But I love it because it has my name and logo on it.”
The shoe features precision placed Nike Zoom air bags on the outer sole that match up with the pressure points of the foot. This design is the result of the Nike research lab, which, according to their PR director Heidi Burgett, has “more than 40 researchers, 17 [having] PhD’s.” The bottom of the shoe looks like the bottom of the spaceship from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. I always knew LeBron was out of this world. 
If you’re a parent with a toddler, there is no need to worry your little one will be without awesome basketball shoes. For less than the $200 cost of the full size shoes, you can get toddler, infant, pre-school, and grade school sizes.
LeBron may soon be unveiling a new billboard on the Cleveland Sherwin-Williams complex building. After “a Thursday vote by a Cleveland design review committee and a Friday Planning Commission vote,” the new billboard may be approved. It will be different from the “We Are All Witness” one the building had during LeBron’s last tenure with the Cavs. Michelle Jarboe McFee of The Plain Dealer explains the new image.
On the new banner, James still stands beneath a puff of chalk dust, acting out a pre-game ritual. But this time, he’s not alone. He’s facing a crowd, instead of downtown. There’s no script. Just a simple Nike swoosh.
The Cavs have been talking with big man Louis Amundson.
Louis Amundson worked out for the Cavs last week, source tells HoopsHype. Cleveland one of the teams he’s considering for training camp. — HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 15, 2014
His long hair contains shot blocking nectar, which came as a surprise to me. Amundson has reasonable shot blocking percentages when he is on the floor. His best year came with Phoenix during the 2009-2010 season when he blocked 2.3 shots per 36 minutes and 4.4% of all shots when he was on the floor. He’s never averaged more than fifteen minutes a game in any season, so he should be happy in any role the Cavs give him.
Zach Lowe mentioned Tristan Thompson in an article about extending guys in their fourth year. Tristan needs to be renamed the “enigma.”
[Thompson is] a mobile defender who works his ass off and boxes out diligently. He operated within a dysfunctional offense last season, and he had no space in the lane when he shared the floor with Anderson Varejao. Thompson can score on the pick-and-roll when the lane is clear, and he’s a smart cutter who lurks along the baseline, waits for his man to leave on a help assignment, and darts into open passing lanes for easy dunks.
That’s not all though.
He could well put up something like a 14-8 line on 53 percent shooting, and if he does that, the Cavs will crow that their pending eight-figure overpay is a bargain under a rising cap. “We spared ourselves a Hayward,” they’ll say.
Wait, wait, wait, that sounds like a great stat line.
And they will be wrong. The Cavs could plop a bunch of big men on cheaper deals into Thompson’s new role and watch those players produce in the same way. Players such as Trevor Booker, Ed Davis, and Kris Humphries bring chunks of the required skill set, and they’re barely making $10 million combined. DeJuan Blair will make $2 million next season, and though he’s not in Thompson’s league as a defender, he’s a craftier pick-and-roll player on offense.
Lowe brings up the great point that the Cavs may have some options open in the coming seasons even if they accidentally overpay Thomspon, since the Cap is supposed to continue rising. However, letting Thompson walk could definitely allow the Cavs to sign another difference maker.
That could mean using the full midlevel exception on a rim protector, or using the sign-and-trade as a weapon to acquire a fourth top-level player — something a taxed-out team cannot do.
The Cavs will be in a better spot than the Heat were roster wise no matter what during their super team saga, so there is no need to fear this team will be pulled down by a “Wade” esque player. Unless, Kevin Love blows his knees out, and LeBron decides to act human. Both things are fortunately unlikely.
Hey guys – I just did a two day analysis on previous teammates, lineups and opposition defenses to predict this years Cavs teams stats. Let me know what you all think! LeBron – 25 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds on 55% shooting Irving – 17 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 47% shooting Love – 21 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 46% shooting Waiters – 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 45% shooting Verajo – 6 points, 8 rebounds 52% shooting Marion – 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists 46% shooting Miller – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assist… Read more »
though i doubt it will occur, i would not be upset if both were a part of a trade package. develop talent and leverage asset for cap purposes.
i believe though that gilbert overpays for both. honestly, it is his money and he can if he chooses. i would like to see him let both players market decided by RFA. waiters might be in a bledsoe type category but thompson, who knows? his hand switch is a novelty but just underscores that he did not really know how to shoot in the first place.
I get the idea that you build relationships with agents and if they get you a premier client then you overpay one of their lesser clients. However, there is no way LeBron walks away it we refuse to pay Tristan like the starter he’s not. James is one of the smartest players out there and surely he recognises that if we are paying him and Love the absolute max and Kyrie the smaller max (though that contract will increase after his all star appearance this season) we can’t also be giving Thompson 10m a year – especially when we have… Read more »
Waiters’ next contract will rely heavily on how he takes advantage (or doesn’t) of playing with the new guys. It probably also will depend on whether he’s a starter or the first guy off the bench. And lastly, whether or not KI can prove he can stay healthy. Gotta believe in any event, he’s going to believe he deserves at least what Hayward got, or what Bledsoe believes he should get.
So in the 13mil/yr range.. Can we afford that with 3 max players who no matter where salary cap goes will occupy something like 85% of our cap space?
Sure they can afford it, but probably not Waiters and TT both without jettisoning other pieces. A lot depends on how both of these guys perform this year (ie: gel with LBJ, KLove and KI), and who is potentially made available via trade at the deadline or next summer. For argument’s sake, if this team either wins a championship this year or makes it to the finals and is competitive there, why would they change much if anything? For that to happen, both Dion and TT would have to be value-add pieces who are young and only going to improve… Read more »
Has anyone discussed what Waiter’s next contract might look like? To me, he’s more important than Tristan who doesn’t space the floor and doesn’t protect the rim. It’s not as if we’re going to be hurting in the rebounding department either with Love and Varejo. Just curious.